Speeders take note, your previous misdemeanor traffic infraction will no longer prevent you from obtaining a Kirksville business license with the City Council unanimously approving several ordinance changes during a special session Monday.

Council also approved the switch of its general liability, property and workers' compensation insurance provider, potentially saving the city an estimated $40,000 a year.

Both actions were time sensitive, with the deadlines for purchasing insurance as well as sending out city business license renewal notices passing before the Council's next regularly-scheduled meeting in February.

The Council approved several tweaks and changes to the city's business license ordinance including redefining which companies must pay taxes based on total gross revenues, how an applicant is judged for a license and making the application fee non-refundable based on the suggestions of Finance Director Katie Myers.

"There was confusion about the whole ordinance," Myers told the Council Monday.

Among the changes is the re-classification of who is required to pay taxes based on gross revenues. Previously the ordinance was not clear on which contractors and individuals were required to pay such a tax, with the new ordinance defining vocations such as plumbers, electricians and HVAC technicians.

In the new ordinance, plumbers are not required to pay a gross receipts tax but an HVAC technician who sells equipment is required.

The changes are intended to streamline the ordinance, making it more clear to business owners and operators, said City Manger Mari Macomber.

Another change, the removal of the misdemeanor stipulation, is also intended to streamline the process and ensure that legal and ethical business owners are not hindered in opening or running their business.

"We wanted to make it as easy as possible to expand or start a business," said Mayor Richard Detweiler.

The updated ordinance will still result in an applicant with a felony conviction in the past five years being denied.

Detweiler, who had spoken in favor of removing the misdemeanor stipulation previously, expressed surprise after the meeting when he learned the change had been included in the approved ordinance after a clerical mistake originally resulted in the change not being reflected in the Council's distributed materials as late as Monday morning.

"I must have missed that," he said. He went on to say: "Who doesn't have a speeding ticket? This is a major step in getting it more efficient. And we don't want to prevent anyone from opening a business if they have a speeding ticket."

Macomber said the clerical error was realized Monday morning and a copy of the correct proposed ordinance was distributed to the Council before the meeting, but no explicit mention was made of the change during the meeting's proceedings.

"We will probably go ahead and have the Council vote on a re-authorization at its next meeting," Macomber said afterward. "We want it to be above board."

Page 2 of 2 - The Council also moved forward on switching its risk management and insurance provider, approving a switch to Midwest Public Risk with the intent of saving tens of thousands of dollars annually.

Council approved the coverage quote of $360,828, an estimated $80,000 less than the city's current provider, but not including an annual deductible cost estimated at $38,000.